NBA: Irving scores 43, rallies Celtics past Raptors in OT

Kyrie Irving scored a season-best 43 points, including four in overtime, and added 11 assists as the Boston Celtics came back to defeat the visiting Toronto Raptors 123-116 Friday night. Gordon Hayward made a jumper and Irving made a layup to give Boston a four-point lead with 3:43 to play in overtime. When Jayson Tatum made two free throws with 3:09 to play, Boston led by five. Irving’s 13-foot pullup jumper gave Boston a seven-point lead. Tatum added 21 points, Hayward had 15 and Marcus Morris and Al Horford had 11 each for the Celtics. Kawhi Leonard led the Raptors with 31 points and 15 rebounds. Serge Ibaka added 21 points, Pascal Siakam 16, Kyle Lowry 14 and Jonas Valanciunas 11 for the Raptors. Danny Green also had 11 points for Toronto before fouling out with 3:43 to play in the fourth quarter. The Celtics, who had lost their two previous games, handed the Raptors their third straight loss. The teams have split their first two games this season. The Raptors, who led by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, took a four-point edge into the fourth. Irving made a running layup after a missed shot by the Raptors to give the Celtics a 92-90 lead with 7:06 to play. Delon Wright hit a 3-pointer after a Boston miss to give Toronto a four-point lead with 1:29 left. Boston came back to tie it at 107 with two free throws by Hayward with 24 seconds remaining. Leonard… [Read full story]